Paradip: Fishing activities has resumed at Paradip harbour here. However, non-compliance of COVID-19 guidelines has become a worry for the authorities. The trouble has been compounded as majority of the fishermen are from other states. None of them have been kept in quarantine centres on their arrival here. Also most of them have not undergone COVID-19 tests.
To top it all, there is no government officer to oversee the trawler owners who are employing these out-of-state- fishermen. Most of the times, these fishermen are not wearing masks. Social distancing norms are also not being implemented.
The trawler owners are taking these fishermen to check whether they have fever to the Paradip community health centre (CHC). If they do not have fever, they are asked to board the trawler.
This situation has created apprehension and fear in the minds of the local fishermen and residents. They fear that the outsiders may spread coronavirus among the fishermen community.
“We are already living in fear as COVID-19 positive cases are exponentially increasing in the district as well as Odisha. The engagement of outsiders is increasing the risk of contracting the disease,” said Pradip Sahu who is associated with the fish trade.
Jagatsinghpur district collector Sangram Keshari Mohapatra has set some restrictions regarding the entry of outsiders inside government office. However, Paradip Fisheries Department office seems to be an exception to the rule. Outsiders are enjoying easy access to the office with no restrictions on their movements.
Fisheries officer (Marine) Madhumay Samal was contacted on these issues. He said, “The fishermen from other states cannot be put under quarantine here because there is no facility here. While the owners are getting clearances from the CHC, we have only thermal screening facility at the entrance. We don’t have any other method to find out whether someone is infected or not.”
Regarding outsiders enjoying easy access into the Fishery Department office, he also expressed his helplessness. “We don’t have any e-grievance cell to look into all issues. Moreover, the fishermen are not tech-savvy they visit the office to get their work done,” he added.
PNN
